


something special

by NalgeneWhore



Series: Elorcan One Shots [82]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Engagement, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Short & Sweet, i've forgotten how much i love writing one shots lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:48:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28119453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NalgeneWhore/pseuds/NalgeneWhore
Summary: i hope u guys liked it !! this was very fun to write <3
Relationships: Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn, Elide Lochan/Lorcan Salvaterre
Series: Elorcan One Shots [82]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1636468
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	something special

Rowan raced around the apartment, trying to find something. Lorcan watched him and laughed under his breath, carelessly flipping through his fire department’s monthly magazine. “Lor, come _on_ , man, tell me where it is!” 

“I don’t know what _it_ is and I don’t care _where_ it is,” he replied drily, humming into Elide’s good evening kiss as she got home from work, “Evening, gorgeous.” 

The nurse laughed warmly and patted his chest, “Hi, baby. You’re looking mighty fine tonight.” She ran an appreciative look over him, tapping her acrylic nail over her bottom lip. 

Rowan scowled at his roommate’s girlfriend and his roommate’s salutations. He pointed at them and switched his finger back and forth, “Not loving this right now. E, do you know where my tie is? The dark blue one.” 

Elide made a face and sat on the arm of Lorcan’s chair, “The blue one, why that one?” She absentmindedly began to toy with Lorcan’s hair. “We learned that it shortens your jaw. Wear the green one, it’s on top of Lorcan’s drawer.” 

He took a step towards Lorcan’s room and paused, “Why?” 

“We needed it. Don’t worry, we cleaned it.” Lorcan laughed wickedly, pulling her into his lap and nipped at the skin beneath her jaw. Elide rolled her eyes and shoved his face away, “I was in the ER all day, someone barfed on me and I can still feel it.”

Her boyfriend wrinkled his nose and pushed her away, “Yucky.” Elide patted his cheek and walked away into his bedroom to put her things away. “So, Ro, when’s this girl getting here?” 

“8 o’clock, why?” 

“Um… it’s seven-fifty five now,” Lorcan answered, not daring to move, not even flipping the page as Rowan skidded out. 

“What, no, I checked the clock, I have an hour,” he said. 

Lorcan looked up at him and had the decency to fake a wince. Rowan knew his sadistic, nihilist brain couldn’t conceive of emotion. “The clock _may_ have… paused in the power outage last weekend and I may or may not have noticed but put off… switching back. I’m so sorry, Ro. Really, man, I’m so sorry.” 

“I’m going to kill you,” the silver-blond man promised. “Where’s my jacket?”

“I hung it on your closet door, I swear.” 

Rowan raced in, just as the buzzer sounded and that brilliant, glorious voice spoke up, _“Hello, Rowan? It’s Aelin.”_

“Let her up but do not talk to her.” 

Elide clicked her tongue as she padded out of her boyfriend’s room and walked to the door, “I got it, get your jacket, dear.” She sighed and winked at Lorcan as she pressed the talk button, “Hey, Aelin, come up.” She clicked the unlocking button and pranced over to the kitchen, “L, what do you want to do for dinner? I’m down for whatever.” The petite brunette puttered around the kitchen in her silk robe, getting her tea ready before her shower. She filled the tea kettle and put it on the burner, then perused the collection of teas they had solely for her use. 

“I’ll cook,” Lorcan said, a tad too coolly. 

“Are you sure? Remember when you burnt your hair?” 

He snapped his teeth, “It’ll be fine.” 

Elide laughed softly and walked behind his couch as she watered the plants she had brought to ‘liven up’ their apartment. She bent and kissed the top of his head, “Ok, love. You can cook.” 

He smiled and then someone knocked on the door. “Let me get that!” Rowan shouted desperately. Elide cackled gleefully and put the watering cup down, bounding over to the door and quickly opening it.

“Hello, you must be Aelin.” 

The blonde woman was drop-dead gorgeous. Long, tanned legs that went on for miles, long golden hair that fell in waves. Big, blue eyes with fiery centres of gold, framed by curled lashes, lengthened by mascara. Her plump lips curled into a smitten, giddy grin, bright white teeth with a little gap sinking into her bottom lip. “Yeah, that’s me,” she laughed. “And you must be Elide, the roommate’s girlfriend, I’m hoping?” 

Elide laughed and opened the door wider, “Yeah, that’s me. Lorcan’s over there, the one with the frown.” Aelin looked over Elide’s shoulder and laughed, no doubt amused by Lorcan’s disgruntled frown. “Ro’s just finishing up, do you want some tea? I’m going to have a shower, but it shouldn’t take too long.” 

“Oh, I’d lo–” 

“Oh, I don’t think we have time for that,” Rowan said as he hurried out and all but shoved Elide out of the way. Elide gasped and returned to Lorcan’s warm embrace for comfort. 

“He’s so mean,” she whispered, curling into his lap. 

Lorcan hummed and wrapped his arms around her, “He is. I don’t know,” he started to raise his voice, “why a nice gal like Aelin would go out with such a bully.” 

Rowan frowned and his eyes promised a slow, painful death for the both of them. The dark couple laughed to themselves and relaxed into each other. “What a funny joke. Aelin, should we go?” 

The golden girl laughed warmly, her hand lifting to rest against his chest, “Of course. It was lovely to meet you, Elide, I’ll have to come by for tea someday. It was very nice to meet you too, Mr. Frowny Face.”

Lorcan gasped in offence and narrowed his glare at Aelin as Rowan walked them out. Elide laughed and stood up, walking towards the bathroom, her hips swinging side to side, “Anything I can do to… turn that frown upside down?” 

He grinned and followed her into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door behind them, “Yeah, a couple things, princess.” 

Great, _huge_ butterflies flapped around her stomach. Aelin smiled nervously at Rowan as he guided her towards their table, her cheeks pinking. “I love this restaurant,” she said, biting her inner cheek as she slid into her seat and adjusted it to her liking. She pushed her hair off her shoulder and rested her chin on her clasped hands. 

Rowan sat down and unbuttoned his jacket. He smiled, relief shining in his eyes. Aelin adored the fact that he was as nervous as she and tucked that little bit of pride into her fluttering heart. “I’m glad. I have to admit, I was a little bit nervous about what to pick.” He pulled the menu towards him and looked through it, “What do you reccomend?” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Aelin hummed and opened the menu. “It’s all divine. All I know is we _must_ split the chocolate hazelnut cake. It’s my favourite.” Her eyes sparkled at him over the rim of the slim folder. “Shouldn’t we?” 

“Of course,” he said, his own cheeks blushing. “I’d love to.” 

Aelin hummed happily and sighed, “Oh, I think we’ll get the fried sage leaves to start and then the ossobuco. What about you?” 

Rowan closed his menu and smoothed his hands down his legs, “I’m going to get the veal saltimbocca.” 

“Oh, if you do, I insist on stealing a bite.” She tilted her head to the side, her eyes on his, “Will you let me?” 

Something dropped his stomach and he licked his lips, “Yes. I think I just might.” 

Aelin laughed coyly and sipped her water, leaning back in her chair, now exactly where his gaze would fall in her metallic gold silk tank top. Her eyes tracked their waiter as he made his way back to them, “Hello, good sir.” 

The young man, his hair a curly mop of brown locks, grinned, “Hello. Can I offer you our wine menu?” 

They looked at each other. 

_Do we dare, Mr. Whitethorn?_

A smirk curled his rosy lips. 

_I say we do._

Aelin scrunched her nose in a delighted way and reached her hand out for it, “Yes, please.” She looked through, scrutinising and pensive. After a golden, wonderful moment, Aelin looked up at him, “Barolo?” 

Rowan nodded, feeling at a loss when it came to wines. The waiter nodded and swept away. Aelin looked like him and sat up, “So, tell me about your roommates. They seem to be in that _honeymoon_ phase - are they a new couple?” 

Rowan laughed quietly, “Oh, _gods_ , no. No,” he cleared his throat, “they met in kindergarten and hated each other all the way through high school. They’re both military brats and somehow always got sent to the same posts.” He tapped his finger on the table, “They went away for university and second year, Elide transferred here and they met again and… the rest is history. They’re- Lorcan’s asking her to marry him right now, actually.” 

Aelin laughed, her hand over her mouth, “Oh my gods, that’s amazing. Oh, I hope she says yes. They’re adorable together.” She paused. “Please don’t tell him I said that. I can always use another nemesis.” 

“Yes, well, I assume I will get a very loud text any minute now with the good news.” 

She clapped her hands, “Good.” At that moment, their waiter - Luca - came back with the bottle of wine and glasses. He poured Aelin a sample and waited as she sipped and tasted. She nodded and flashed Rowan a wide smile. Luca poured them both glasses and left it on a stand before he blended into the shadows. “So, what shall we toast to?” 

Rowan knew it was cheesy and even still he said: “To… love. Love old and… love new.” 

Aelin stared at him with heat clouding her eyes, “To love old and love new.” 

Lorcan hummed as Elide hopped off the counter and pulled his shirt over her head. “Baby, no.” 

His girlfriend laughed and padded out of the bathroom, “My kettle has been boiling for over an hour, I bet all the water’s gone.” Lorcan tugged on his previously discarded sweat short and pushed his damp hair back.

He walked out to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his chin on her head, “I love you, Lochan.” 

She hummed, “And I love you, Salvaterre.” Elide shoved him with her elbow as she moved for the honey, “Move, beastie.” Lorcan laughed and stepped back. He leaned against the counter in front of the dishwasher and watched her move to fetch her things. 

Elide turned crossly, evidently annoyed by his eyes on her, and frowned at his smile, “What, what’s the smile for?” 

“What smile?” he said through his grin. 

She clicked her tongue and abandoned her tea to cross her arms, “ _That_ smile.” Lorcan pushed off the counter and crossed over to her, halfway bending to sweep her into a long hug. Elide sighed contently and slid her arms around his shoulders, her body melting into him. “Hi.” 

“Hi,” he said, holding her tight and rubbing her back. For months, he’d planned what he was going to say. He’d proposed to Rowan more times than he could count. It had been perfect and as he slid the ring box out of his pocket and took a step backwards, he couldn’t believe he was doing it like this. 

Elide opened her mouth to ask him why he stopped hugging her, but then her eyes landed on the sparkling ruby engagement ring and all she could say was: “Oh, love.” She reached for his hand, tears lining her eyes as he smiled and lifted their joined hands to his heart. 

“El… I love you. And I had a whole speech prepared and when I proposed to Rowan, he almost cried, but, fuck, I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, so,” Lorcan smoothly lowered onto his knee, “will you marry me?” 

“Of course, you idiot!” 

Aelin hummed delightedly as a plate carrying a piece of chocolate-hazelnut cake was placed in the middle of the table. She twirled her fork and ruefully pushed the plate closer to him, “Do you want the first bite?” 

Rowan grinned, “Please, I know you’ve been looking forward to it. It’s yours.” 

The woman beamed and dug in, her eyes falling half shut. She moaned softly and Rowan took a long sip of his ice water. “It’s so good,” Aelin said, taking another bite and then another. “I would eat this for every meal if I could.” 

His phone dinged subtly from his pocket. Aelin saw him shift and buzzed in her seat, “Well? What’s the news?” 

Rowan smiled and pulled it out of his pocket. The text was sent from Lorcan’s phone, but it was Elide who wrote it.

_bastard: i said yes!!_

Attached, Elide had sent a selfie with her hand, showing off the ring. The picture cut off most of Lorcan’s face, showing just his lips pressed to her temple. Rowan had never seen her smile this widely. 

He showed his phone to Aelin, who read the text and looked at the picture. She smiled, “That’s so sweet. I’m surprised Lorcan’s taste in jewellery is that good, that ring is gorgeous.” 

“I don’t like to toot my own horn, but I did help him pick it out,” Rowan said in a joking manner. Usually, he didn’t find it this easy to talk to someone - certainly not someone like Aelin. She was a barely tamed wildfire and he was certain many had been burned before him. For some reason, though, he didn’t feel like he would be like them. 

Aelin’s eyes glittered, “So, you have a lovely taste in pretty, sparkly things, do you? I might just have to remember that for later.” She lifted her wine glass and sipped delicately. 

“Later? We have a later now?” 

She put her glass down and ran a fingertip over the rim, “Well, I certainly hope so. I’d hate to dress my best and try this hard all for one meaningless dinner.”

Rowan hummed, smiling softly, “It would be such a shame, Ms. Ashryver-Galathynius.” 

“Indeed it would.” 

Within the next five minutes, the cake had been devoured and they split the bill after Aelin’s fierce insistence. After, Rowan stood to help her into her coat and Aelin dipped to the bathroom as he waited by the entrance. 

When she walked out, unaware of every eye in the restaurant on her, Aelin smiled at him, the tip of her pink tongue poking between her teeth. She slipped her hand into his elbow, “Do you want to take a walk? The Florine is just a few blocks away, we could talk.” 

Rowan’s brows raised, almost surprised that she had _more_ to say. Elide would laugh and say that he was a cranky, old bastard, but Rowan had never spoken more with another human being. Aelin’s face fell slightly at his look of reproach and her brow crinkled, “What is it? Do you have to be somewhere?” 

“No, no, Aelin,” he laughed self-consciously. “I’ve never talked this much and I’m just a bit… shocked that you have more to say.” His cheeks heated. 

Aelin laughed merrily and pulled him outside, sliding her hand down to his, “You’re very cute. C’mon, I’m sure we can weasel a few more words from you. And besides,” she looked up at the sky, “the sky is beautiful by the river.” 

She started to walk and in that moment, Rowan decided he would follow her to the ends of the earth. 

Night had fallen long ago. 

Aelin stood on her building’s stoop, a few steps above Rowan so that they were eye to eye. She smiled a small smile, her face soft and open. “I had a lovely time tonight, Rowan.” Casually, she reached out and traced her finger over the lapel of his overcoat. “Would you like to get coffee tomorrow, or something?” 

Rowan nodded, his hands stuffed into his pants pockets, “I’d love to.” 

“Good,” she said. Aelin shifted closer to him, until they were almost sharing a breath. Rowan swallowed once, but he didn’t close the distance to kiss her. Her laugh was hoarse and slightly choked, “So, what do I have to do to get you to kiss me? I’m just wondering.” 

He coughed, slightly startled, “Um… just- exactly that.” Aelin smiled triumphantly and laughed softly as he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. Rowan dipped her dramatically and waited for a moment before he pressed a slow, dizzying kiss to her lips. 

Aelin gasped softly and gripped his biceps, kissing him back with that fiery passion he’d come to learn she applied to everything in her life. 

When they came up for air, their breaths puffing between them, her eyes were wide. Her reddened lips curved to form a perfectly soft, _“Oh.”_

Rowan laughed huskily, “Yeah, that was… wow.” He took a step backwards, his hands lingering on her waist. “I should let you go now. It’s late and I have a coffee date tomorrow morning.” 

Aelin laughed brightly and pressed a kiss to his cheek, “Very gentlemanly of you.” She stepped backwards, towards the front entrance. Aelin pulled the keys out of her pocket and waved her fingers at him as Rowan nodded his head and walked down to the sidewalk. “Goodnight, Rowan.” 

“Sweet dreams, Aelin.” 

Her ring sparkled in the living room light. Elide bit back the giddy grin threatening to erupt over her face and turned her face to her boy- _fiancé_. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him, “I love you.” 

Lorcan grinned and gave into her sweet kisses. He slid his hands to the small of her back and pressed her closer to him, “I love you too, princess.” She hummed lowly and pulled away, tracing her fingertips over his cheekbones. 

She laughed a bit, “Do you remember the first day we met?” 

Lorcan scoffed, “Yeah, no doy.” 

Elide rolled her eyes and shook her head, “You’re ridiculous. I’m trying to be sweet and you say _no doy_ like an idiot.” Lorcan laughed, his head tipping back. Elide smacked his chest and twisted so that her back was against his front. 

They barely fit on the shitty little couch Lorcan and Rowan still had from university. It was old and beyond ruined, but it was the most comfortable thing on the planet. Lorcan wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his hand on her side, his thumb soothing a circle over her ribcage. “It was the first day of kindergarten. You were wearing two braids with a red ribbon around your head and you had on overalls with a purple shirt.” 

She smiled, “Your hair was braided and you were wearing a black t-shirt with a grizzly bear on it and jeans.” Elide tilted her head up to teasingly glare at him, “You stole my good marker.” 

He made a pleased noise in the back of his throat, “And fourteen years later, you stole my heart.” 

“That I did,” Elide replied, kissing the side of his neck. Lorcan lifted her left hand and they both stared at the glittering engagement ring. “I can’t believe we’re getting _married_.” 

Lorcan grinned and kissed the side of her head, “Well, believe it, love.” 

She laughed and settled back into his arms, “We’ve come a very long way, haven’t we?” 

“Yes,” Lorcan agreed, wrapping her further in his arms, “we have.” 

They fell into a warm, comforting silence, perfectly at ease to lay together and not say a word. Nothing needed to be said. 

A few minutes later, when Elide was slowly drifting off, safe and warm in his arms, the front door opened. She sat up, smiling expectantly at Rowan, “Well?” Lorcan shifted beneath her and sat up too. “How was it?” 

Rowan’s cheeks were pinked, not just from the cold night. “Um, it went well, yeah.” He shrugged his overcoat off and hung it up on the coat rack. Without looking back at the couple, he spoke while he put his shoes away, “We’re getting coffee tomorrow.” 

Elide clapped her hands, “Ooh, yay. It’s because of the green tie.” 

Rowan rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. He emerged with three bottles of beer, “I think I deserve a little credit. She didn’t very well kiss my _tie_.” 

Elide cackled and took the beer he offered to her, her ring shining. “Very nicely done, Ro.” She settled back against Lorcan and sipped from her bottle, waiting for him to notice something. 

Rowan handed Lorcan his drink and finally saw Elide’s ring, “Congratulations, you two. Very nicely done, Lor.” 

His best friend smiled softly at the girl he loved, “Thanks, man.” Rowan sat down in the armchair, grinning at the two of them. “So, it really went well?” 

“Yeah, yeah.” 

Elide giggled at his face, “Oh, you’re so smitten.” 

Lorcan hummed in agreement and drank his beer, “Aw, look, he’s _blushing_ .” Elide hooted and laughed harder when Rowan grumbled and stood up, muttering something about _I don’t have to sit here and take this_. “Babe, our boy’s all grown up. Soon he’s going to settle down, get married, have a brood of unruly children…” 

Elide stood up and walked over to Rowan, holding her arms out for a conciliatory hug, “Oh, c’mere, honey, we’re just joking.” Rowan pouted and accepted her embrace, flipping Lorcan off behind her back. The dark haired woman pulled away slightly, her eyes narrowed inquisitively, “You really like her, don’t you?” 

“Yeah,” Rowan mumbled, blushing again. “She’s… kinda completely amazing.” 

“Oh, is she something special?” 

“Yeah,” Rowan said, confident and sure. “She is.” 

And she was.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope u guys liked it !! this was very fun to write <3


End file.
